How Does Your Business Stack Up?

PPAI’s Latest Industry Benchmark Report Takes A Closer Look At Eight Top Sales-Related Concerns Of Distributor Companies

Running a promotional products distributorship can lead to big wins financially and personally, but it can also be mentally, physically and emotionally exhausting. Entrepreneurship can test your confidence in ways you never imagined but can also bring out remarkable qualities about yourself that you never knew you possessed.

Like most small businesses, it’s common for distributor owners to have their fingers in all facets of the business, from building sales teams and compensation packages to marketing the business and bringing in the dollars. Occasionally you may stop and think, “Is this the best way to do this? Do other distributors know something I haven’t found out about yet?”

Every few years, PPAI produces its Distributors Business Report based on surveys with distributors to provide a benchmark of average industry trends and standards, to help owners better understand where their businesses stand in relation to one another. This survey, which was fielded and compiled in late 2015, consisted of 52 questions focused on the distributor business sales force. Data was collected from 237 PPAI distributor member principals with 168 completed surveys. With a four percent response rate, the level of precision for performance ratings is seven percent (margin of error) at the 95 percent confidence level. The majority of respondents were based in the U.S. with a small percentage in Canada.

This article highlights the key findings in eight major areas of questions showing how other distributors are running their businesses and servicing their clients. Results from the full study will be released by section throughout the year and are available at www.ppai.org/research.